KTRV Fox 12 New Craig's List Scam Targets Real Estate
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Boise, Idaho -- A new Craig's List scam is hitting too close to home for some local Treasure Valley landlords.
Now one apartment manager is speaking out to warn would-be renters of the danger.
For one local apartment manager getting flooded with calls about her vacancy, it turned out to be a bad thing.
"It's very frustrating. We're getting all these calls form these poor people who think they are getting this great deal, and they're not," said Heather Roth.
It started, innocently, when a legitimate advertisement about the property was posted on Craig's List. Things went wrong when con artists copied the ad, sweetened the deal and dropped the price.
Asking would-be renters to wire them a cash deposit in Nigeria.
"And it looks like one of them was about to send money to these people in Africa," said Roth.
While Roth doesn't want her apartment complex named, she says while clearing up the mess, she got copies of what the scammers sent out from a mother who barely stopped her 18-year-old daughter from sending the con artists money through Western Union.
Roth contacted the Boise Police, who say they've been getting other similar complaints.
"One of them from a woman who's home was up for rent. She'd put the add on Craigs List with local contact info," said Lynn Hightower, a police spokesperson.
Like others, her local information was taken off the ad and replaced with the unrelated email address linked to Africa.
Police are working with the Better Business Bureau to warn local consumers of the danger.
"Once people wire that cash, they money is gone and they will never see the keys," said Dale Dixon, the director of the BBB.
According to Dixon, nothing can be done to bring these overseas con men to justice. So he has several tips for people to follow when buying on Craigs list.
"First and foremost, deal face to face when talking about online classified ads," said Dixon.
He also advises shoppers to never wire money and, even in a case where they're trying to rent an apartment, to never give out personal information to someone they've never met.
Craig's List does post warnings about the danger of scams just like this one on all their real estate ads.
Anyone who experiences this problem and wants to get a fraudulent posting of their property removed can call 877-FTC-HELP, or 877-382-4357.
